Health Guidelines Ignored Before Pregnancy

Updated on: February 25, 2009 / 3:00 PM
/ WebMD

Few women follow lifestyle and nutritional guidelinesbefore becoming pregnant , even when pregnancy iscontemplated to some degree, a new study shows.

Researchers at the MRC Epidemiology Resource Centre at the University ofSouthampton wanted to find out whether women follow such guidelines beforebecoming pregnant, since good health is important before pregnancy.

A total of 238 became pregnant within three months of being interviewed;researchers compared them with those who didn't become pregnant.

Among the women who became pregnant, 44% had taken any folicacid supplements in the three months before the interview; only 5.5% hadtaken 400 micrograms of folic acid a day. Daily folic acid intake of 400micrograms is recommended to prevent neural tube defects, such as spinabifida.

When pregnant women were interviewed at 11 weeks of gestation, 93% reportedtaking some folic acid and 12% reported taking at least 400 micrograms a dayover the previous three months.

Although the women who became pregnant were slightly less likely to smokethan those who did not become pregnant, the difference was not significant.

Diet and Exercise

Women in both groups were equally likely to get five or more portions ofvegetables and fruit per day (53%); a smaller percentage of those who becamepregnant had engaged in any strenuous exercise within the three months prior totheir interviews compared to the women who didn't get pregnant.

When interviewed before pregnancy, 23% of the 238 women who became pregnantsaid they did not expect to try to become pregnant in the following year.

In this "unplanned" group, only one who became pregnant compliedwith the alcohol and folic acid recommendations.

However, among those thought to be at least contemplating pregnancy, sixwomen had complied.

"Our data show limited evidence of changes in health behaviors beforepregnancy," the researchers write, issuing a call for greater publicitypromoting pre-pregnancy guidelines. "Substantial rates of unplannedpregnancies mean that greater efforts are needed to improve the nutrition and lifestyles in women of childbearingage."